Many of the guides in the Smokies find an 8' 4 weight is about perfect for most inexperienced anglers on small streams. I use a 6'6" fiberglass a lot on smaller water like the N. Branch of the Ausable, but I've been doing it for a while. You'll definitely do more flipping, dabbing, and dropping then casting on most small steams. I wouldn't go larger then an 8'6" though, you have to carry it through the woods to get to your small stream too.